Indiana will launch a new five-year plan aimed at improving the health of the state’s residents. The plan was developed by a statewide committee led by Deborah McMahan, M.D., health officer for the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health.

The Indiana State Health Improvement Plan focuses on six priorities determined to have the most significant influence on health and illness in Indiana. They include:

Food safety

Health care-associated infections

HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and viral hepatitis

Infant mortality

Obesity

Tobacco use

Implementation of the plan calls for a collaboration of individuals, as well as public, private, governmental and nonprofit organizations.

“It is the hope and intent of the State Executive Planning Committee that each and every public health system partner will identify activities in the plan that will enable them to contribute to the improvement of health outcomes in Indiana,” said Dr. McMahan.